Pondering Going Organic

Posted On

April 12, 2013

An Article By

Katie

Whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan or even an omnivore, buying organic products brings a variety of benefits to your life and your community. It can be a little tougher to search them out and they can be more expensive than regular produce, but there’s good reason to go to the extra effort.

Going Organic

The term “organic” is sometimes misunderstood to simply mean “healthy” or “gourmet”. While these terms often overlap with organic products, they’re actually quite unrelated. Organic simply means the food was made with no synthetic additives such as chemical pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or preservatives. The exact definition of organic farming is itself hotly debated, but the spirit of it is to produce food as naturally as possible.

Of course, doing this can raise the costs of production significantly. Modern farming practices have evolved to produce as much as possible as cheaply as possible. Taking more care and reducing chemical shortcuts necessarily increases cost. Therefore it’s important to understand the benefits and reasons why it’s worth buying organic.

Benefits Of Buying Organic

No chemical nasties. Do we really know what the effects of chemical spraying will be on us 10 or 20 years down the track? Already there are theories linking Chromes and Celiac Diseases to chemically processed foods consumed at a young age. Organic farming is completely devoid of synthetic chemicals, using natural anti-pesticides and fertilizers if any at all. Just a wash to rinse off the dirt is all you need to get them safe for eating.

Support local business. With massive modes of production comes the risk of losing local producers and growers. If we don’t want to become dependent on a few major food sources, we must make sure we support smaller farmers. Going to the farmer’s market is the easiest way to do this directly, though a number of fruit and veg shops now sell organic produce on their behalf as well. It also helps support local vegetarian and organic communities.

It just tastes better. Top quality restaurants and cafes all source organic produce for their wares, and it’s because the difference is palpable. Instead of absorbing chemicals the leaves and roots absorb sunshine and natural minerals. Instead of being cut off at whatever time is most convenient, they’re able to grow longer and bigger. They’re also much fresher, as the distance between the field and your pantry greatly decreases. Foodies all agree that in terms of taste, organic is the only way to go.

Organic produce (and other food products too) can certainly cost more to buy, but for a fresher, tastier, healthier kitchen the effort is worth it. Typically the best approach is to start growing your own fresh organic herbs and vegetables, this can be relatively easy to do and is rewarding on many levels.